


101 kisses

by errantknightess



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Angst, Domestic, Drabble Collection, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Romance, Stargazing, Touching, sharing food
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2018-11-07 06:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 9,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11052816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/errantknightess/pseuds/errantknightess
Summary: A series of self-indulgent drabbles about two sappy idiots in love.





	1. Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> A series of self-indulgent drabbles inspired by a random prompt list. Some of these will be canonverse, some might be more AU, and all of them are going to be incredibly sappy ^^

The night was biting cold, the air fresh and crystal clear. In a weather like this, the view from the rooftop spread for miles unobscured, dotted with the bluish white lights of squid jiggers lining the horizon – but Allen didn’t even look that way.

“So?” he prompted, eyes fixed firmly into the star-spotted distance overhead, his voice a little throaty from the way he craned his neck up. “Is it time already? I don’t see anything.”

“Patience,” Lavi let out a laugh, resting his chin on Allen’s shoulder, cheek to cheek as they huddled close against the chill. “You’ll see them. Any moment now.”

Allen leaned back into the embrace, into the steady rhythm of Lavi’s breaths that swayed them both gently like the waves below.

“I wonder which one will fall first,” he muttered.

“This one.” Lavi pointed a star at random, his cocky smile brushing against Allen’s skin. “Right here. See how pale it is? Bet it can’t hold up there much longer.”

Their fingers laced together as Allen pulled his hand down.

“You’re blocking the view.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll still see plenty,” Lavi chuckled. “There’s so many… What do you think, Allen? How long before they all fall down?”

“That will never happen.” Allen shook his head, gently squeezing Lavi’s hand with his own. “They don’t fall that often, do they? And there are still new stars born every day. They will always be there.”

“How can you know?” Lavi’s voice was only half teasing. “Maybe we’re slowly running out of stars and don’t even know it? Have you ever counted them?”

“Of course not,” Allen snorted. “You can’t count all the stars, that’s impossible.”

“Is it?” Now it was all teasing, and Lavi leaned in closer to whisper into his ear. “Just try. Do it for me.”

Allen blinked against the swarming dots above.

“One.” A smile tugged at his lips as Lavi kissed the shell of his ear, warm breath tickling his hairline. “Two.” Another kiss, pressed to his temple in a soft touch that was barely there. “Three.” Lavi’s lips trailed lower, skimming over the tender skin just under his eye.  “Four… Lavi, look!”

A thin silver smudge crossed the sky just as Lavi pressed their lips together.

“You missed it,” Allen sighed, his breath ghosting over Lavi’s mouth when they finally pulled away.

“There’ll be others.” Lavi smiled and tightened their embrace. “Did you make a wish?”

Allen breathed in the fresh air, taking in the salty scent of the sea and another one, warm and familiar and much closer.

“There’s no use,” he said quietly, squinting against the glare of the distant lights. “I already have all I need.”


	2. Words

The rustle of rain outside plunged the room in a peculiar half-silence. Lavi tapped at the crossword with the tip of his pencil, absent-mindedly matching the rhythm of the heavy drops hitting the windowsill.

“The sacred wading bird of the ancient Egypt… That’s ibis, isn’t it?”

Allen sleepily opened one eye, not bothering to raise his head. Lavi’s pensive humming trembled softly under his cheek.

“I don't know,” he muttered, trying to focus his blurry vision on the newspaper that was entirely too close to his face.

“I think that’s ibis,” Lavi decided, raising the pencil to scribble the answer in.

“If you know, then why are you asking?” Allen huffed, pressing his nose back into Lavi’s chest. He didn't appreciate being roused from the nap for something like this.

“Sorry. Didn’t notice you fell asleep.” Lavi slumped down on the couch and rested his chin on top of Allen’s head, breathing in the faint scent of rain that lingered on the white hair. “Firearm for infantry… Musket? M-U-S…” he mouthed, jabbing the squares with his pencil in a countdown to check if it fits. Before he finished, Allen jabbed him in the side with his finger.

“Lavi, please. Don’t engage me. If you can’t solve this on your own, get a colouring book or something.”

"Okay, okay… Just this last one. The brightest shining object in the night sky… Wait, that’s not right.”

The pages of the newspaper fluttered under Allen’s sigh.

“What is it?”

“It doesn’t fit.”

“Then you must not have it right.” Allen peeked at the crossword, his eyes crossing from the proximity. “I think it’s all right… Isn’t that Venus?”

“No, I’m pretty sure it should be _Allen_.” Lavi smiled into his hair, fingers sneaking under the edge of Allen’s shirt.

Allen chuckled and nuzzled close into Lavi’s neck, pressing a lazy kiss on the warm skin.

“Now I know why you can never solve these.”


	3. Strawberry jam

The birds chirping outside the window worked better than any alarm clock – except that they lacked a snooze button.

Lavi let out a hoarse yawn, slowly drifting awake as he twisted around in the sheets. It wouldn’t hurt to sleep a little longer on a Sunday – just an hour or three – but he already knew that wasn’t going to happen. Reluctantly, he cracked his eye open, blinking slowly as his bleary vision took its sweet time to focus.

The bedroom was gilded with sun. Narrow stripes of light spread out across the bed, tangling and rippling on the wrinkled blankets. It must have been a clear, bright morning behind the blinds, but Lavi didn’t feel like getting up to open them just yet. He stretched out and rolled over with a disappointed groan as his hand met void. Allen’s side of the bed was empty. His warmth still lingered on the pillow, radiant under Lavi’s fingers. It felt nice and familiar, and Lavi let his eye slip closed again, just for a moment, just for a minute or three—

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Lavi turned his head, a lazy smile spreading on his face at the sight. Allen stood in the doorway with a tray in his hands, illuminated by the sunny reflexes. His hair was still mussed from sleep, falling softly over his eyes, and Lavi wondered how he hadn’t dropped anything yet. The tray was full, and the two steaming cups of coffee clinked precariously as he made his way across the room.

“Good morning, early bird,” Lavi greeted, pulling himself up to help him. _Of course_ Allen would get up at the break of dawn even on a day off to have breakfast. He held the tray and let Allen slide back under the covers, watching him intently as he settled in.

“Is this my shirt?” he noticed.

“I didn’t see your _name_ on it.” Allen grinned, tugging at the loose neckline that slid down to expose his collarbone. “Stop leaving your things lying around everywhere. Finders keepers,” he taunted, taking the heavy tray back and setting it down in his lap.

“Oh, you won’t _keep_ it for long. Don’t get too cozy.” Lavi scooted closer, hooking an arm around Allen’s shoulders as he reached for his coffee. The strong, bitter scent clung to his throat like silk. With a pleased sigh, Lavi relaxed against the pillow and closed his eye.

“You’re not going to eat?” Allen poked him lightly in the ribs and continued to spread strawberry jam on a bread roll, sprinkling crumbs all over the blanket. “You know there might not be anything left soon,” he added sheepishly.

Lavi chuckled.

“No worries.” He looked at Allen from the corner of his eye, absent-mindedly tracing the hem of his collar with his fingers. “I see something way more tasty right over here.” Careful not to knock anything over, Lavi brought his face closer and gently nuzzled the soft hair on Allen’s temple.

“Hey, it tickles!” Allen flinched, but leaned in, pressing his side against Lavi’s chest as he took a bit out of his bread roll. Encouraged, Lavi went on, tightening his embrace and burying his nose in the mess of white locks. He could feel Allen chew under his cheek – an odd, funny sensation that had him shaking with laughter after a moment.

“Lavi!” Allen’s indignant yelp finally made him pull away – and when he did, he promptly burst out laughing the second time.

“You look like a clown,” he managed, and frankly there was no better way to put it. With the bright red jam smeared over his lips and nose, Allen made the perfect impression of a circus make-up gone wrong. His pale complexion and untamed bed hair only helped to complete the picture.

“You should know better than to mess with me while I’m eating.” Allen wiped a strawberry streak off his cheek and licked his finger, pushing the tray a little further away just in case. “It’s a miracle we didn’t spill the coffee.”

“Come on, it wasn’t that bad.” Lavi nudged him with his elbow and quickly gulped down the rest of his cup.

“It could be worse,” Allen agreed, still rubbing away at the mess on his face, with poor results. Lavi let out another laugh and grabbed his chin, skimming his fingers over the sticky skin.

“Here, you missed a spot.” With a fond smile, he leaned over and gently kissed a glob of jam off the tip of his nose. Allen snorted, amused, a puff of warm air crashing against Lavi’s neck.

“You’re impossible.”

“I can’t help it when you’re so sweet.”


	4. Candy

Noon crept upon them like a tiger, fiery and quiet, stalking with the relentless eye from the burning sky above. Lavi squinted against the glare bouncing off the worn-out cobblestones. The colourful townhouses flanking the near empty street offered no reprieve, the thin ribbons of their shadows clinging snug to the bright walls. Striped curtains fluttered listlessly in a few open windows and doorways. With a sigh, Lavi tugged his headband down around his neck and wiped his forehead.

“See anything?” he turned to Allen, damp bangs falling over his good eye.

“Nothing.” Allen shook his head, munching on some sugared jellies he had bought from a miserable vendor at the train station. The sharp rustling of crinkled paper ruffled the silence as he reached for another piece. How they hadn’t melted into a solid block yet was a mystery.

“Well, if something decides to show up, at least we’ll have a clear shot.” Cupping his hand around his eye, Lavi peered along the street like a sailor on the lookout for the faraway land. The glistening cobbles rippled in the sun, tinted ocean blue with the reflection of the sky on their smooth surface.

It was almost peaceful, if not for the watchful tension pulling their muscles taut with every step. A perfect, lazy summer day. The hot air vibrated with the buzz of insects and a faint jaunty tune pouring out of the door of a nearby bar. At this hour, that’s where most of the people were, staying out of the oppressive heat and passing the time in a good company. For a moment, Lavi fell in step with the music, skipping a bit to the rhythm, but his eye remained keen. In the lull of the siesta, the scarce passers-by slipping in and out of the narrow side alleys raised all the more suspicion.

They walked ahead slowly, brushing their hips and shoulders against each other in the uneven stride, close enough to press their backs together and fall in a fighting stance at any moment. Needlessly, it seemed; if the Innocence or the akuma were indeed lurking in this sleepy town, they must have been too weary with the weather to show themselves. No one stopped or bothered them, or paid them any mind at all, save for the chubby cat that glared at them from the threshold of a dark stairwell. Letting his body relax a little, Lavi rested his elbow on Allen’s shoulder. He could feel Allen shifting under the touch, the stagger in his step, the light prod of his collarbone as he dug for the jelly cubes in the bag, the heavy warmth as he leaned in to find a more comfortable position.

He might have let his guard down more than intended.

Up ahead, the street opened to a wide square. The cobblestones underfoot spread out in neat rows, twisted and coiled into patterns all over its surface. Wind picked up in the open space, the bunting strung between the lampposts flapped like a flight of colourful birds. The cool breeze brought a sharp, salty scent and a long-awaited relief.

“Come on, let’s go over there.” Lavi put his hand on the back of Allen’s neck and gently steered him towards the small patch of shade under one of the trees planted in the corners of the square. They sat down against the trunk, on a layer of tiny white petals fallen from the blossoming branches.

“It looks like snow,” Allen noticed, running his hand through the grass.

“Yeah… Shame we can’t build a snowman from this, eh?” Lavi nudged him gently as he settled beside him with a fond grin. This day was nothing like when they had met for the first time – and yet his mind still raced straight to it at the slightest reminder.

“We can try.” Allen’s knuckles brushed against his knee as he swept the delicate petals into a small mound. It scattered in the wind a moment later, and more flowers fluttered down on them like a blizzard.

“Hold on.” With a laugh, Lavi reached up and plucked the stray petals out of Allen’s hair. “You’re flowering.”

“Look who’s talking.” Allen smiled back at him, dusting the petals off Lavi’s shoulder in retaliation.

Even in the cool green shadow, Lavi could still feel the wave of heat that washed over him at the touch.

“Hey, watch it.” Hesitantly, he grabbed Allen’s wrist to stop him. “You’re getting sugar all over me. I’ll be a walking wasp lure.”

“Sorry. I don’t think wasps feel like flying in such a weather, though.” Allen pulled his hand away and put it to his mouth, licking his fingers clean only to plunge them in the sticky white powder again. The syrupy scent of fruit swirled in the air, stronger than the flowers and the heated earth.

“I wouldn’t be so sure. Maybe they’re lurking.” Lavi watched intently as Allen’s profile relaxed and his eyes fell closed against the sun, his cheeks puffed out while he chewed. “They keep their creepy eyes on you from the bushes, and just when you start to feel safe, they’ll attack.” With a swift move, he slipped his hand into the crumpled bag and snatched a jelly.

Allen’s eyes snapped open in an instant.

“Hey! That’s mine!” he burst with indignation as Lavi popped the bright pink cube into his mouth.

“Oh yeah?” Lavi grinned, mockingly holding the candy in his teeth. “My bad. Want it back now?” he mumbled.

In lieu of a reply, Allen yanked at the front of his shirt and reached for the jelly with his lips.

Lavi held his breath as they crashed together, teeth and all. His shock grew with every second as Allen’s lips lingered on his – long, far longer than it took to suck the candy in. They tasted sweet and hot and raspy, specks of sugar clinging to the chapped skin. They prickled at the corner of his mouth when he leaned closer, slowly, gingerly, feeling his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. Allen smiled under the touch. His hand tightened in Lavi’s shirt; Lavi found the other, lacing their sticky fingers together, his thumb tracing nervous patterns on Allen’s skin.

It lasted but a moment – a moment too long – and infinitely, unbearably too short. With the next shuddering breath came awakening. His head started spinning. The closeness burned. Lavi swallowed the lump in his throat and gently broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Allen’s, not daring to pull back completely. He opened his eye – didn’t even realize when he had closed it – to meet a wary silver glance staring back at him.

“Lavi? Is something wrong?”

“No – I mean…” Lavi’s voice faltered, his mouth dry like sand. He forced himself to back away at last, let go of Allen's hand and slip out of his grip. Allen didn’t try to stop him. _Why did that sting so much_?

“I’m sorry.” Allen dropped his hands and his gaze, biting those sweet soft lips with a sigh. “I got a little carried away. I shouldn’t have.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Lavi let out a laugh, so strained and shrill that it hurt in his parched throat. “It was an accident. You didn’t mean that.”

“I—“ Allen inhaled sharply and paused as if he stumbled over his own breath. When he looked back up, his eyes were steel and stone in the speckled shadow. “I didn’t. But it won’t happen again.”

“I know. I know.” Lavi nervously licked his lips, his heart stopping for a split second as he tasted the lingering sweetness. He glanced over at Allen, at the crease by his mouth, at his tightened jaw and fluttering lashes, and something inside him shattered.

“Hey,” he said softly, resting his hand on top of Allen’s head and leaning in to level their gaze. “Relax. It’s fine. No hard feelings.”

His lips trembled as he pressed them to Allen’s cheek – just for a dizzying second, but that was enough to commit it to memory, lock it up and store it away in the abyss of his mind.

“ _All_ feelings are hard,” came a choked reply, and a warm, coarse-skinned hand skimmed against his. Lavi closed his eye, relishing the feeling one last time.

It won’t happen again.


	5. In passing

Even this early in the morning, the station was bustling with life. Crowds of travelers streamed through the platform, filling the air with the buzz of mingled voices and the clatter of baggage carts. Gripping his suitcase tight, Allen stretched his stiff back and started weaving his way through the throng of people. Kanda had gone ahead already, making his way across like an icebreaker and disappearing from sight as soon as they got off the train. Allen couldn’t blame him, really; he also wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible. The long journey had tired him numb and left his stomach rumbling. He couldn’t wait to be back at the Order, to have a proper dinner and finally get some rest. His injured leg throbbed sharply with every step as he moved on, slowly but surely, trying his best not to bump into anyone in his path.

Just a little further and he’ll be home.

“Allen! Hey, Allen!”

The sound of his name called out in a cheerful, familiar voice perked him up in an instant. He looked around, craning his neck, until he noticed the bright red mop of hair peeking over the crowd across the platform. His steps suddenly lighter, Allen changed his course and headed that way, eyes fixed firmly on the grinning face in the distance. All the time, Lavi was waving at him like a maniac, hanging out of the window of a train waiting on the southbound track.

“Hey, good to see you at last,” he greeted, ruffling Allen’s hair as soon as he got within reach. “You sure took your sweet time. How did it go?”

“Pretty well.” Allen leaned away a little, shifting his weight to ease his wound. The twitch to Lavi’s lips told him he had noticed – of course he would – and the hand on his head softened the touch ever so slightly. Clearing his throat, Allen set his suitcase on the ground and looked down along the train.

“Where are you headed?”

“Degersheim.” The name fell dry and harsh off Lavi’s tongue. “Bad timing, I was hoping we wouldn’t be sent out before you come back.”

“Me too. I’m sorry. We got held up in the mountains longer than expected.” Allen said, his voice barely raising over the shrill call of the whistle and the clacking of closed doors. “I guess I’ll have to tell you everything when you come back.”

“Just don’t wander off again before that,” Lavi laughed.

The train shook, sighed, and slowly started to roll away.

“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Allen snatched his suitcase and inched along with the moving car. “I’ll wait for you here this time, I promise.” For the shortest of heartbeats, he put his gloved hand to his lips and pulled it away to give Lavi a little wave.

“You’d better.” Lavi reached out and grabbed a hold of his hand, squeezing the fingers Allen had just kissed as if trying to pluck that kiss out for himself. His warmth seeped through the thin cotton, and Allen returned the touch, running his thumb over Lavi’s knuckles. They slipped out of his grip a moment later as the train gained speed, rushing along the platform in billows of steam. Allen watched it vanish in front of his eyes, hand cradled tight to his chest, warm and trembling.

Just a little longer and he’ll be home.


	6. Studying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://dailyau.tumblr.com/post/166676134495/youre-my-roommate-whos-super-cute-and-its-the) prompt from dailyau on tumblr.

The clack of the keyboard broke loud through the silence, trailing across the room like the uneven trot of a limping horse. Lavi pulled himself up on his pillow, peeking that way with his eye half-open. The light coming from Allen’s desk was bright against his eyelid, tinting the darkness an uncomfortable red, just a touch not dark enough to let him sleep. Not that he minded much. There was something domestic, something _intimate_ in watching his roommate sit cross-legged on the hard chair, leaning forward on his elbows as he stared into his laptop in nothing but his pajamas. He looked oddly soft, caught between the golden halo of the lamp and the cold glare from the screen. Lavi’s eye slid over his profile, taking in the lace of wispy white hair around his forehead, the reflections shining in his eyes and the focused crease of his brow.

… No, not focused – more like _troubled_ , Lavi noticed, watching Allen reach to the keyboard and type something slowly, press Backspace in a frantic staccato, pause, then start typing again, only to erase it as well a moment of hesitation later. No wonder, really. He’s been at it for hours already, and it was well past 2 AM – he had to be running out of juice.

Quietly, Lavi rolled out of bed, wincing a little as his bare feet met the cold linoleum. Allen looked up immediately, face brimming with guilt.

“I’m sorry! Did I wake you up?”

“Nah.” Lavi waved his hand groggily. It wasn’t a lie – he couldn’t sleep _at all_ – but he wasn’t about to admit that. Allen curled up on himself, seemingly unconvinced, averting his eyes and nervously biting at his lower lip. It glistened slightly as he released it, pink and swollen, and Lavi had to swallow hard at the breath catching in his throat.

“Don't mind me,” he managed, shuffling over to the sink to pour himself a glass of water, a perfect excuse and a much needed relief for his suddenly sand-dry mouth.

“Mhmm.” Allen turned his attention back to his laptop. “I’m almost finished, I promise.” He hunched over the keyboard as if trying to intimidate it into cooperation – or maybe he was simply falling asleep sitting up.

“Take your time. What are you doing, anyway?” Lavi sneaked up behind him, leaning his arms on the backrest of his chair as he skimmed over the double-spaced text on the screen. “You know, if you split this last paragraph in two and move that line over here, you’ll have your conclusion pretty much taken care of. That’s all you’ve got left, right?”

“Yeah…” Allen muttered, tapping at his chin pensively as he followed Lavi’s finger. “Oh. Yes, that should work!” He sat up straight, fingers flashing over the touchpad in a quick series of edits. “Good. All right. I really don’t know how I missed that. Thank you a lot, Lavi!”

“No problem.” Lavi smiled. “And you _are_ pretty out of it, after all. Go to sleep, okay? I can tell you need it.” He leaned down, stifling a yawn into the mussed white hair, burying his nose in the soft strands as he let his lips linger pressed to the top of Allen’s head.

Oh.

He could probably use some sleep, too.

Lavi froze, eyelid fluttering against the hair tickling his face. He could feel Allen stiffen as well, for one spinning, breath-stealing moment – but just a heartbeat later he relaxed again, shoulders slumping.

“Right,” Allen sighed, his head falling back against Lavi’s chest as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. “Let’s go to sleep.”

Neither of them moved.


	7. Shapes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a vitiligo!Allen headcanon.

The room was dimmed with the curtains of rain shrouding the windows, steel-blue and wavering in the wind. The only lamp on the nightstand seemed to give more shadows than light; dark silhouettes danced on the walls and the floor, sharpened by the low glow of the flame. It was barely enough to see by – but enough still.

“How come I’ve never realized you had so many freckles?” Allen’s voice was soft like the rustle of raindrops outside. “They’re everywhere. I swear, Lavi, you must have gotten more since I last saw you. I would have noticed before!”

“Yeah?” Lavi murmured absently, smiling down at him from the pillow. “Maybe I had, if you say so. How many are there?”

“As if that would tell you anything,” Allen laughed. “You don’t even know how many you had to begin with.”

“Sixty-three.” The reply came with no hesitation. Allen snorted, the sound stifled as he buried his face in Lavi’s chest.

“You just made that up!”

“Try me.” Lavi’s smirk grew wider.

Shaking his head with an amused sigh, Allen pulled himself up and leaned in closer. Lavi’s bare skin was cool to the touch in the chill of the evening, taut and dry like a sheet of parchment.

“One,” Allen whispered, pressing gently right under the collarbone. “Two, three, four, five, six…”

He tapped his finger on Lavi’s shoulder, pointing the light dots out one by one until they all blurred together before his eyes. Losing count, Allen let his eyelids drop and leaned his head on Lavi’s chest, pressing his cheek against the steady heartbeat. The calm rise and fall swayed him gently, warm breath in his hair sending a pleasant shiver up his spine.

Lavi’s fingers slid slowly over his arms, wandering, roaming. Allen didn’t even have to open his eyes to know what he was doing; he could tell by the short, zig-zagging strokes following the jagged outlines of the stains on his exposed skin. He curled up, shrinking under the touch. The tender caress felt strange on them. They were a mark of death, as if that fateful night that took away all he had drained even the colour from him and left him halfway like a ghost.

“There’s a squirrel on your shoulder.” Lavi broke the silence, the vibrations of his voice tickling in Allen’s ear.

“What?” Allen blinked his eyes open, startled.

“This spot.” Lavi drummed his finger just above his elbow. “It looks a bit like a squirrel, have you noticed?”

“No…” Slowly, Allen lifted his head and craned his neck to inspect the patch, stark white even against his pale skin. “I don’t really look at them.”

Lavi smiled, running his finger along the lacy edge.

“I could look at them all the time. They’re fascinating – hey, this one looks like Timcanpy!”

“Where?” Allen squinted in the scarce light.

“Right here.” Inch by inch, Lavi traced the outline on the side of his stomach. Allen followed his hand intently, shivering as the fingertip skimmed over his navel.

“I don’t see it.”

“Hold on.” Lavi carefully leaned over him and reached to grab the inkwell from the nightstand. The tip of his quill dragged gently on Allen’s skin as he started to draw. “Right here, see all these little teeth? And here are the wings… Stop laughing, now you broke it! He looks like he got roughed up by a cat again!”

“Lavi, don’t smear ink on me!” Allen chuckled, playfully swatting his hand away. “How would you like it if I started to scribble on you?”

“I’d love it!” Lavi beamed and handed him the quill. “Go right ahead.”

For a moment, Allen looked at him hesitantly. The lamp flame played over Lavi’s face, dancing and flickering. In the warm light, his freckles were almost golden, like grains of sand scattered in the breeze. Biting down at a smile, Allen reached up, promptly connecting them with a few shaky lines.

“Is that… a bunny?” Lavi laughed, his eye closed as he focused on the careful scratching of the quill.

“I’m not too good at this,” Allen admitted sheepishly, sitting back on his heels to survey his artwork. Lavi just laughed again as he plucked the quill out of his hand.

“Shhh, it’s beautiful.” The fluffy feather tickled Allen’s nose, and before he could protest, Lavi dipped the nib in the inkwell once more.

He worked slowly, patiently outlining the marks with all their nooks and crannies. Allen’s breath hitched in his throat as he watched them bloom on his skin, more visible than ever – but Lavi’s lines made him see them anew, different from how he knew them.

“Here’s an island… a whole archipelago,” Lavi muttered, the quill gliding over the paper-white skin. A few small spots huddled together in the crook of the arm, then the big one above them, curving in a wide crescent. Where the shock and horror had left a blank space, Lavi filled it in, adding a wonky palm tree in the middle of the biggest stain and a tiny whale next to it, a fountain of jet-black water spouting out of its back.

“A pirate map,” he explained, looking up at Allen with a glint in his eye. “And here’s the treasure.” Another flick of his hand put a thick X under the tree and Allen’s heart swelled as he leaned down to kiss it.

“Lavi…”

“I found another one,” Lavi chuckled, crossing the spot and pressing his mouth against the wet ink. “And another… Here… And here too…” His lips were warm and dry, fluttering on Allen’s skin over and over and over.

“That’s a lot of treasure,” Allen laughed, tangling his fingers in the mess of Lavi’s hair. “You’re quite rich, aren’t you?”

“I am.” Lavi leveled his gaze on him, soft and firm. “The richest man alive.”


	8. Awkward

If lazing around on Allen’s bed had any downsides, it was the crumbs. Lavi squirmed on the blanket, brushing a few stray specks out from beneath him and off to the floor. There was no use in cleaning, though – not with the half-eaten box of doughnuts still on the pillow by Allen’s side.

“Taking your food to bed is one thing, but why are you _kissing_ it?” Lavi chuckled, watching Allen clamp his mouth over the blob of jelly slowly trickling out the side of his doughnut.

“Because I love it.” Allen methodically licked the icing off his fingers and lips. “Besides, it’s more like sucking than kissing,” he added before diving in for another bite.

“Well, I wouldn’t know,” Lavi replied with a wry smile. “But it sounds like you are an expert.”

“Only in theory,” Allen mumbled around his mouthful. “Don’t get weird thoughts, it’s not like I’ve ever done anything.”

“Wait, seriously?” Lavi blinked in surprise, studying his face with interest he hoped didn’t show through. He never expected Allen of all people to share his experience – or, well, the lack of it. “So… You’ve never kissed anyone, or… you know…?”

Allen slowed down his chewing and shook his head, returning his intent gaze.

“No.” He swallowed at last, but instead of taking another bite, he just kept staring at Lavi warily. “Why?”

It was far too late to fake indifference now, but Lavi still gave him his best shrug.

“Just asking. Don’t you sometimes wonder what it would be like?”

“Not really…” Now it was Allen’s turn to shrug, and that at least looked genuine. “I’ve never thought about it much, actually.”

“Me neither, but aren’t you even a bit curious?”

Allen dropped his eyes back to the rest of his doughnut, turning it pensively in his hand.

“Maybe a little…” He stuffed the doughnut into his mouth and brushed off his hands straight onto the blanket. “I mean, I suppose it must be nice, right?”

“So they say.” Lavi pointedly shifted his gaze to the ceiling and stretched out on the bed, crumbs be damned. His next words came out of his mouth before he could stop them – before he could realize he _should_ stop them. “Wanna try?”

Off to his right, Allen nearly choked on the doughnut.

“You mean… now?” he asked in a small voice once he finally dislodged it from his throat. “With you?”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to,” Lavi backtracked quickly, helplessly fighting the hot wave already flooding his cheeks. “No hard feelings, I’ll understand.”

“No, I—“ Allen shot him a passing glance, then averted his eyes again. “I don’t mind. Just… Are you sure _you_ want to?”

Lavi let out an embarrassed snort. Sure, he had blurted it out without thinking earlier – but he’d be lying if he said it hasn’t been on his mind for quite some time now.

Then again, when was he _not_ lying?

“Well, this is probably the best shot I’ll ever get at it. And I mean that as a compliment.” He rubbed the back of his burning neck, but somehow found it in himself to keep his eye level. “So, you up for it?”

For a moment, there was no answer. Allen picked at the blanket, plucking out the crumbs from the fabric one by one – but when he looked up, his face was lit with a coy, adorable smile.

“All right. Let’s do this.”

He made it sound so easy.

They shuffled on the bed to face each other, their knees just shy of touching. Allen sat back on his heels, palms of his hands pressed flat against his thighs. Lavi couldn’t miss the nervous twitch of his fingers as they dug into the fabric of his trousers. His own hands felt cold and disgustingly sweaty all of a sudden. Lavi wiped them on the blanket and looked up to meet Allen’s eyes.

“Ready?” he asked.

Allen nodded, biting down at his lip before remembering he was going to need it. Holding his breath, Lavi slowly leaned forward on his hands and brought their faces together.

He felt a bit ridiculous, with his nose smushed against Allen’s cheek and with Allen’s long bangs falling into his good eye. It was odd how much _closer_ it felt from the casual closeness they had shared so far. But the weirdest of all was how their lips were now touching, warm and soft and just a little wet, but not at all in a bad way, no. It was… interesting. _Exciting_ , even. Lavi closed his eye and sighed through his nose, finally releasing his breath. The air swirled between them. Allen’s lips parted ever so slightly, twisting the coil in his stomach even tighter. The lingering sweetness of icing and jelly mingled with something else, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He pressed closer, his teeth pinching against the inside of his mouth – and backed off just a panicked second later, startled at his own insistence.

Allen pulled away as well, eyes full of questions as they fluttered open. For a moment, they stared at each other in silence. As tension waned, Lavi felt a dumb smile start to spread on his face, and when he pursed his lips to hide it, he could still taste Allen on them.

“So,” he said slowly, reluctantly withdrawing his hands from where they rested on both sides of Allen’s legs. “How was it?”

“Good.” Allen’s voice bubbled with nervous laughter. “It felt good. I liked it.”

“That’s… good.” Even as he scrambled for words, Lavi could feel the tingling wave of relief washing over his head. “Thanks. I’m glad. I liked it, too.”

“Then why did you stop?”

Lavi froze, his heart pounding away somewhere in his throat under Allen’s searching gaze.

“I— I don’t know,” he mumbled. “I didn’t think you’d _want_ me to go on. I’m not really sure how to work this thing.”

Allen fidgeted on the blanket, his knee brushing against Lavi’s as he shifted.

“You were fine. I had no idea what I was doing, either.”

“Maybe…” Lavi swallowed hard, tongue dry as sand. “Maybe we could try that again? A do-over?”

“Yes!” The reply came instantly, so fast it flustered them both. Lavi chuckled, watching Allen turn as red as his left hand that he covered his mouth with. Gently, he reached and pulled it away, his breath hitching as Allen laced their fingers together.

The warm, wet weight on his lips felt just as peculiar the second time around. Lavi wondered briefly how long it would take to get used to it – and hoped with all his might he would get to try long enough to find out.


	9. Bruises

Lavi slipped into Allen’s room before he even finished knocking, just as he always did. It didn’t look like Allen would have answered the door, anyway; he was sprawled on the bed, still in his day clothes, with his feet on the pillow and an arm thrown across his face. Probably napping. Slowly, Lavi sneaked across the room and headed for the desk, where he was almost sure he had left one of his books last night. He tried to rustle the papers as little as possible, but not a moment later, he heard Allen stir behind his back, the bedsprings creaking.

“Who’s… oh. Hi, Lavi.”

“Hey, Allen.” He turned to send him a crooked smile, feeling a little guilty for rousing him. “Don’t mind me, I just gotta grab—“ The words died in his throat, because Allen groaned and sat up to face him, and Lavi – Lavi was not prepared for what he saw.

Half of Allen’s face was blotched with purple, the dark ring of the bruise pooling under his swollen eye and spilling down onto his cheek. His lip was split, and it twitched painfully as Allen spoke up, voice ringing with amusement at Lavi’s shocked expression.

“Is it that bad?”

“It’s… Yeah, it’s bad.” Lavi swallowed hard, dropping the papers in his hands back onto the desk. “What happened? Are you— are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Allen assured quickly. “I was just sparring with Kanda earlier.”

“ _Sparring_? With Yuu?" Lavi repeated, his eye narrowing with suspicion as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “Since when do you guys _train together_?”

“Well, it just… happened.” Allen shrugged. “I pissed him off, apparently, and he pissed _me_ off when he got pissed, and we were already in the training room anyway. For the record, he didn’t look any better when we were done, but he’s probably all healed by now. Asshole.”

“You just don’t know when to stop, both of you.” Lavi’s gaze slipped down over the mark peeking out under the edge of Allen’s open collar. “You know, next time you can just ask _me_ instead of going around picking fights.”

Allen shook his head, his bloodied smile curiously warm.

“I can’t train with you, Lavi. You hold back too much.”

“Of course I hold back! It’s not a real fight!” Lavi tugged on Allen’s shirt, opening it further. “I don’t want you to— geez, Allen,” he cut himself off with a hiss as his eye caught the full size of the bruise he just revealed. Allen looked away from his fretful stare, hands clasped tight in his lap.

“Does it hurt?” Lavi lightly pressed the bruise with his fingers, gingerly watching Allen’s face for the slightest trace of pain – but if he felt any, his mask held on strong as always.

“Lavi, it’s nothing, really. They’ll be gone soon, anyway.”

“You need to do something with them.” Lavi sighed, reluctantly pulling his hand away. “Do you have some balm, or anything?”

“There should be some in the drawer here.” Allen rolled over on the bed and reached for his nightstand, and Lavi couldn’t miss the grimace that shot through his face as he aggravated the tender spots. As soon as he found the balm, Lavi plucked the jar out of his hand and opened the lid, filling the space between them with a heavy, herbal scent.

“Chin up,” he instructed, tilting Allen’s head with one hand and dipping the other in the balm. He worked slowly, spreading the waxy substance in a thick coat over Allen’s cheek, barely skimming his skin for how gently he went about it. Allen held still under the touch, eyes flickering to follow the movement of Lavi’s fingers. Once or twice, he licked his lips nervously, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end remained quiet.

Finally, Lavi smoothed his thumb down Allen’s face one last time, cupping his cheek and tracing the curve of his jaw with a brief stroke. Allen looked up, a smile shifting the skin under his fingertips, and Lavi quickly averted his eye – but didn’t pull away just yet.

“Take off your shirt.” His voice barely broke the silence around them.

Allen obliged slowly, peeling the shirt off his shoulders and letting it slip to the floor at his feet. The pale skin underneath was mottled with bruises, scattered patches of sickly yellow, blue and reddish brown, blending together all over the body. It ached to look. Lavi’s throat clenched, the smell of balm suddenly biting bitter in his nose. With cold fingers, he set to work on the dark spot blooming under Allen’s collarbone – and then lower on his chest – and the couple on his ribs. He ran his hand over the bruises, smearing the balm as carefully as he could, biting down on his lip and muttering a hasty apology with every flinch and sigh that escaped through Allen’s clenched teeth. His arms and back looked even worse, and Lavi’s stomach rebelled at the sight as he picked his way inch by inch over the battered skin.

“Seriously, you gotta stop doing this to yourself,” he sighed, sweeping Allen’s hair away from the nape of his neck. “You don’t _always_ need to give it your all until you drop, you know? Leave that for actual emergencies.”

Allen slouched a little, muscles taut over the slope of his spine.

“It’s just a couple of bruises. I’ve had worse, and so have you. Why do you worry so much?”

“Because someone has to.” His hand tightened on Allen’s arm ever so slightly as Lavi leaned in and carefully brushed his lips over the bruise, and the one next to it, and the next one, feather-light kisses grazing across Allen’s shoulders as if they could make it better.


	10. Lemon

The door opened before Lavi could even raise his hand to knock, and Allen bumped into him, nearly socking him in the nose with his forehead.

“Awww, you’re leaving now?” A simple question, but it was hard to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He was hoping they could stay in for a while.

“I’ll be right back,” Allen assured with a smile. “I just need to clean this stain, I’ve only noticed it now and the longer I let it sit, the harder it will be to get it out.” He held up a white button-up, soiled with multiple black smears on the collar.

“Ahh, right.” Lavi casted a guilty look down on his ink-blotched fingers. The memory of the last night flooded his face with a hot wave, red and burning. “Sorry about that. You know, if you rub it with lemon juice, there won’t be a trace left. I do that all the time, works much better than soap.”

“Really?” Allen perked up, his smile even more sunny now. “Thanks, Lavi! Wait a minute, I’ll go see if Jerry has some lemons to spare.” He dropped the shirt into Lavi’s hands and skipped off with a cheerful spring in his step. Lavi followed him with his eye till the end of the corridor, then slid into the room and kicked the door shut.

There was something intimate about being alone in his lover’s bedroom. The heat returned to his cheeks and pooled in his stomach, wrapping around him like a warm blanket. Lavi sat down on the bed, still squeezing Allen’s shirt and tracing his thumb over the smudges. His mind wandered back again, back to his hands tugging at the starched collar, working the tiny buttons open, roaming over the skin as white as the fabric. Were there ink stains hidden on Allen’s body, too? Did he wake up this morning to a black ghost of Lavi’s fingertips pressed upon his arms, his chest, his thighs? Did that night leave any mark on him at all?

The door clicked open, tearing him out of his thoughts. Allen came in with a ripe lemon in hand and a triumphant grin on his face. Lavi scooted over on the bed, watching as he carefully cut the fruit in half with a pocketknife.

“So, should I just rub it until the ink fades?” Allen plopped down next to him and took the shirt back, spreading it over his lap.

“Yeah.” Lavi plucked one of the lemon halves out of his hand and leaned closer. “Here, I’ll help you.”

They set to work, rubbing at the stains from both sides in a steady rhythm. The juice trickled down their fingers, nipped around their nails, stung in every little cut and scratch. The ink still held on strong, only fading faintly around the edges.

“Ouch!” Lavi blinked at the spray of juice that squirted into his face as Allen squeezed his lemon half a bit too hard. “Hey, mind the eye, I only have one.”

“Sorry.” Allen skimmed his thumb over Lavi’s cheek, wiping the juice off. Lavi couldn’t stop the twitch of his lips as he watched him lick it clean a second later.

“What?” Thumb still in his mouth, Allen sent him a puzzled look.

“What _are_ you?” Lavi shook his head with a laugh. “My tongue rolls up just looking at it, and you didn’t even flinch!”

“Oh, that?” Allen held up his lemon half and licked off the droplet dribbling down his wrist, smiling impishly as Lavi’s mouth twisted again. “Does that bother you?”

“It bothers me that it _doesn’t_ bother _you_.” Lavi winced, but a moment later his grin matched Allen’s. “Bet you can’t eat that entire half, though.”

“Of course I can!” Allen protested indignantly. “It’s _food_ , Lavi. What do you mean, I can’t eat it?”

“I’d love to see you try.”

Allen’s eyes glinted dangerously at the challenge.

“All right. But if I manage, you’ll have to eat your half as well.”

Now it was a full-on bet, and Lavi really should have known better. As it usually happened, though, his innate curiosity won this time, too. Even Allen couldn’t handle a raw lemon, could he? Surely he will give up after a couple of bites—

Yikes.

Lavi pursed his lips tight as Allen sank his teeth right into the pulp. The soft slurping noise he made wasn’t helping, either. Squirming, Lavi watched Allen suck and lick at the lemon, milking it dry into his mouth until all that was left was an empty rind.

“There,” Allen announced, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as if it was nothing. “Your turn now.”

“I can’t believe you.” Lavi scrunched up his face even more as he brought his half of the lemon to his mouth, breathing in the deceptively pleasant scent. His tongue was itching already, and he couldn’t hold back the whine that escaped him when he finally bit into the fruit. Make it quick, the sooner he gets it over with, the better. He crushed the juicy bits with his teeth, drinking it all down until his mouth went numb, his gums and palate crawling with the metallic tingle of acid.

“Ueurgh.” He shook himself off, scraping his tongue against his teeth in a futile attempt to regain the feeling in it. “Pretty sure I’ve just killed off my tastebuds.”

“You poor thing,” Allen cooed, but the mockery in his voice was set off by his soft smile. “Come here, I know what will help.”

Setting the half-cleaned shirt aside, he climbed into Lavi’s lap and took his face in his sticky hands. His breath was sour and hot, but as he leaned in, squeezing Lavi’s hips between his thighs, Lavi couldn’t help but wonder how his lips could still taste so sweet.


	11. Earrings

“I’ve always wondered,” Allen hummed, resting his chin in the crook of Lavi’s neck. “Why do you wear these?”  He poked the small hoop dangling from Lavi’s earlobe, watching as it teetered to and fro like a silver fly.

“Hmmm?” Lavi opened his eye, looking at him groggily for a moment before he caught on. “Oh, that. It’s a Bookmen thing. Gramps has them too, haven’t you noticed?”

“I have.” Allen nodded, his lips brushing against Lavi’s cheek. “That’s why I’m asking. Are they symbolic or something?”

“Yeah, exactly,” Lavi admitted with a laugh that swept over Allen’s face like a warm breeze. “You get them when you join the clan. They’re supposed to seal the knowledge in your head and keep out the things that could sway you. It’s an old tradition.”

“I see.” Allen teased the earring again, running his finger over the smooth, warm metal. “So it’s like a rite of passage, then?”

“You could say that.” Lavi shrugged underneath him, hesitating. “Though it’s not much of a ceremony, usually. As for me, Gramps just pierced my ears with one of his needles a few weeks after he took me on as an apprentice. It hurt as all hell, let me tell you. I cried like a goat in slaughter. That was the first time when I wanted to reconsider this whole shtick.”

“The first time?” Pulling his head off Lavi’s shoulder, Allen shot him a surprised look. “You had other doubts after that?”

“Not for a long time, no.” Lavi shifted closer again, pressing their foreheads together. “Then I met you.”

Allen let out a long, shuddering breath that crashed between them, hot and heavy.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Lavi leaned in to meet their lips in a chaste kiss, tracing a gentle finger along his jaw. “Never for this.”


	12. No

Allen’s eyes are filled with questions, spilling over, leaving wet, salty trails down his flushed cheeks.

“You’ve never told me you’ll have to leave.” It’s not an accusation, but god, Lavi almost wishes it were. He hates how _resigned_ Allen’s voice sounds, as if he had never expected anything else from this. But if he hadn’t, this last goodbye wouldn’t flow with tears now, would it?

“I know.” Lavi casts his eye down, to his restlessly shuffling feet. Does he look like he wants to run away right now? “I never thought I’d have to.”

Allen nods, understanding. He always understands him.

But that doesn’t mean he always accepts.

“Is there…” He pauses, squeezes his lip between his teeth, but it trembles still. “Is there anything I can do? So you could stay?”

His back to the wall, Lavi leans heavily against the cold stone. He can’t trust his legs to hold him. He can’t trust any part of himself now.

“Stop caring about me.” Their eyes meet again, but Allen’s face is but a foggy blur. “And make me stop caring about you. But then why would I want to stay, right?”

He blinks, and the fog rolls away, down his face like a sudden rain. Allen reaches up to brush it off with his thumb and Lavi cups his hand to keep it there, to catch the tears that he can’t stop from falling anymore.

“Do you wish it never happened?” Allen’s voice breaks again, barely there even with how close they are standing.

“What do you mean? Do I wish I never loved you?” Their laced fingers skim over Lavi’s cheek as he shakes his head. “You think I regret that? It was the best damn thing that ever happened to me. To hell with the cost. The only thing I regret is that it hurt you.”

Allen parts his lips, but all that follows is a shaky sigh. He leans in, wraps his trembling arms around Lavi’s waist, buries his face in his chest. His tears are scalding as they soak through the shirt, so hot that his heart melts. Slowly, Lavi hangs down his head, planting a soft kiss on the crown of Allen’s head. White strands tickle his nose, and he breathes in deeply, etching Allen’s scent in his mind.

(Mint brew will never have the same taste again.)

“We’ll meet again, right?” Allen’s words vibrate against his sternum. “Someday. When this is all over, I’ll come find you, okay?”

_No_ , he wants to say, _no, please, don’t. I won’t be there to find anymore. I will just let you down again_.

“Yeah,” he says instead, tangling his fingers in Allen’s hair, holding onto it like a lifeline. “Yeah, I’d love that.”


	13. Fray

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this amazing artwork from abookmansheart](https://abookmansheart.tumblr.com/post/175818000967/allen-ducks-the-hard-ground-rattling-his-bones-on)

Allen ducks, the hard ground rattling his bones on impact. The akuma’s blows miss him by inches, too close for comfort – but close enough for him to strike back. His sword is just a silver smudge as he sweeps it over his head. The cut is clear; the rushing wave of hot air almost knocks him down as the akuma explodes right before him. Allen coughs, blinks, wipes the sweat and soot out of his vision. It doesn’t help much – dust and smoke cover everything in a thick fog. He’s lost the sight of his companions long ago, but the sounds of struggle all around tell him at least they’re still fighting. He doesn’t need to see them now; as long as he keeps his eye on the enemy, it will be fine – they’ll all be fine.

A loud clang from behind makes him whip around, just in time to see another akuma preparing to strike. He’s just a blink too slow, barely shielding himself with his sword before it lunges on—

“Watch out!”

Something thunders right in front of him, and when he looks again, there’s no akuma anymore, just the enormous head of Lavi’s hammer half-buried in the crushed ground.

“Allen! You all right?” Lavi slides down the shaft, holding it with one hand, the other reaching out to him. Allen sighs with relief, but before he can reply, he’s pulled in, Lavi’s fingers tight on the front of his jacket, Lavi’s lips hot and trembling on his. He chases the kiss with his own, even as his eyes stay sharp and wide open.

“Do we really have time for this now?” he scoffs breathless when they finally part a second later.

“If not now, then when?” Lavi sends him a cheeky smile and he’s gone again, shooting off towards the new swarm of akuma looming over the treetops. Allen shakes his head clear and darts the other way, alert and ready.

_Later_ , he wants to reply. _After this, and then again, and some other time_.

But first, they have to make it there.


End file.
